Mending a Family
by Doctor2Be
Summary: Bella and Edward are single parents. What happens when they meet each other? Can they mend each others families? Canon couples. BXE AXJ EmXR Read and Review! Rewrite!
1. School Supplies

"_You know that children are growing up when they start asking questions that have answers." – John J. Plomp_

_**Bella Swan**_

Back to school lists are awful. Every parent trying to get the same thing because they think that tax free weekend is going to save them tons of money on pencils and paper. Not me though. Instead of being like every other parent, I'm going to go the weekend before tax free weekend.

"Tanner! Let's go!"

My baby boy was growing up so fast. It felt like yesterday that he was starting to walk. Now, we are going back to school shopping for 2nd grade. I shook off the sentimental feelings and grabbed my purse as I heard the thudding of steps come down the stairs. Once he hit the bottom step he started running towards me. Everything started moving in slow motion when he tripped over his shoelace. I took a step forward and caught him before he could hit the ground.

"Thanks mom," Tanner said and leaned over to tie his shoes.

"You're about as clumsy as me sometimes," I teased playfully.

He smiled up at me sheepishly. I helped him up and gave him a once over. Tanner was a bright boy but sometimes I wondered if he was color blind. His hair didn't look like it had been brushed. I smoothed down the brown hair that matched mine.

"Mom," he complained while pulling away.

I just smiled and ushered him out of the door to my red truck. We made our way to the nearby superstore and Tanner fumbled through my purse as I got a cart. We went up and down the school supply aisles, grabbing what we needed as we went. I also needed to get some more shampoo before I left so I told Tanner to pick out some school clothes while I went to get what I needed. Along the way I passed the make-up aisle where a little girl who looked no older than five was smearing some of the test make-up on her face. I looked around for her parents but couldn't find anyone. Instead of leaving her with the make-up, like I should have, I made my way toward her.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing?" I asked when I got close enough.

She stopped putting on the bright red lipstick and turned to look at me. She had straight, strawberry blonde hair that went to her elbows and past the make-up, all I could tell was that she had pretty green eyes.

"I wanted to look more prettier," she replied with a small voice.

I frowned at her reply.

"I'm sure you look even more beautiful without all this stuff on," I told her.

"But the ladies wear this stuff in commercials to make them look more prettier," she explained.

"More pretty," I corrected, "And you won't really understand this until you are old enough to wear make-up but, a little bit of make-up goes a long way. You don't need all of this stuff to make you pretty if you are already beautiful."

She nodded thoughtfully at what I said.

"Now, let's get this stuff off your face?"

She nodded and I pulled some baby wipes out of my purse. Yes, I carry baby wipes in my purse. You never know when you might need to clean something up. Carefully, I wiped off her face and pulled away when I was done. She was very pretty actually. The light freckles on her nose and the apples of her cheeks were the only thing that marked her milky skin. She thanked me softly then ran off to another aisle.

I quickly got what I needed then headed back to Tanner. He had picked out some stuff for the school year which included jeans and sweatshirts.

I felt bad because I had moved him away from his friends so we could return to Forks. Tanner had never experienced cold weather, so jeans and sweatshirts were new to him. But Charlie had been having issues with his health lately so I figured that moving up to Forks would give Tanner some more time with his Grandpa.

_**Edward Cullen**_

My baby girl was growing up too fast. The first day of pre-school was a big deal but it seems like nothing compared to kindergarten. I looked over the list and sighed. Really? Why would a kindergartner need all this shit! I shook my head at the list before I felt a little hand pulling at my pant leg.

"Daddy, can you tie my shoes?"

"Of course," I replied while lifting her up to sit on the counter.

"Remember, you have to make the bunny ears. Then the bunny goes around the tree and down the rabbit hole," I explained while tying the laces on her little tennis shoes.

"Thank you Daddy," she said while wrapping her arms around my neck.

Just then, my cell phone rang and from the ringtone I knew who it was.

"What can I do for my how so annoying sister?" I answered in a sing song voice that made Elizabeth giggle.

_Actually, I don't want to talk to my oh so lame brother_, Alice countered.

"Then who do you wish to talk to?"

_My little Lizzie Beth. So, if you don't mind?_

"I do mind actually," I replied and handed the cell phone to Elizabeth.

She started chattering to her Aunt Alice as I put the breakfast dishes away. You would think that since I'm a lawyer I wouldn't have such issues making something as simple as breakfast but hey, I'm a guy.

Once I finished, Lizzie said her farewells to Alice and closed the phone.

"So she didn't want to talk to me?" I asked.

"Nope," she answered, popping the "p".

I flashed her a look of faux tragedy that made her giggle.

"Let's go get this shopping done Lizzie Bug," I said while lifting her off the counter.

The drive to the superstore was short and we got all of her supplies, in girly colors of course. We got more school clothes, even though Alice had already taken care of that. While I looked at the new books out, Lizzie wandered off in some direction. I wasn't worried though. Everyone in town knew who we were.

I was caught up looking at the CDs when Lizzie sauntered over to me. We finished up with what we needed and headed off to check out. She seemed more upbeat for some reason and kept looking at her reflection in the mirror.

"Daddy, why isn't my hair the color of pennies like yours?" She asked while twirling some of her blonde hair in her fingertips.

Oh gosh, how do I explain this to her?

"Well, sweetie," I started and looked from the road at her in the rearview mirror, "your mother has blonde hair, so you got it from her."

Elizabeth contemplated the thought for a few moments while twirling the strand of hair in her fingers.

"Where is mother?"

Why is she so smart?

"Far away princess, far away…"

**So…what do you all think of the first chapter rewrite? Reviewers will receive a preview of the next chapter. Next chapter will be posted on Sunday.**


	2. First Day of School

_"A belief is not merely an idea the mind possesses. It is an idea that possesses the mind." –Robert Oxton Bolton_

_**Edward Cullen**_

_Wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy…_

Sorry Ke$ha, but when I wake up in the morning I feel like going back to sleep. I hit my alarm clock with a little more force than necessary. Throwing an arm over my eyes, I willed myself to feel more awake. Coffee was going to be a must this morning. Staying up late to work on a case and then waking up at six was not the best idea I've ever had. After a few moments of mentally berating myself for staying up so late, I got out of bed and took a shower. I went into auto-pilot while I took a shower and brushed my teeth. It wasn't until I was tying the black tie for my suit that I had realized the time.

Lizzie had explicitly requested to be woken up at seven o clock so that she had ample time to get ready. I walked into the room and crouched down by the bed. She was sleeping peacefully while holding onto the yellow bunny my mom had gotten her when she was born.

"Lizzie, it's time to wake up," I whispered while gently shaking her shoulder.

She slowly opened her eyes and yawned softly. I waited until she was awake before I left. While she got dressed, I went and gathered all the papers I had left on the other side of my bed. Once I gathered it all I went downstairs and got some breakfast ready. In other words, I poured some cereal for Lizzie and myself. I heard the soft pitter patter of steps and turned to see Lizzie walk in while rubbing her eyes. She was unhappy with the idea of a school dress code but I think she looked beautiful with her khaki jumper and dark blue polo underneath.

We ate and she talked about being at a new school. Once we were done, I put the dishes in the dish washer and set it to wash. I turned around to see Lizzie standing there with a brush, hair band, and blue ribbon in hand.

"Daddy, can you put my hair in a ponytail?"

"Of course," I replied and took the stuff from her hands.

Being a single dad helped me learn some of the tricks of the trade and having Alice as a sister helped, of course. Once I finished up she went to go put on some shoes. She came back wearing some, what I think Alice said was, Mary Janes. I helped her put on her pink back pack that had purple, turquoise, and white polka dots on it.

The drive to school was far too short for me. Taking a deep breath I walked her into the school. The atrium was filled with parents. We stopped and I looked around for the directions to the kindergarten wing.

"Daddy it's her!" I heard Lizzie yell up to me.

"Who are you talking about?"

"The lady I was telling you about a week ago that told me I was pretty," she explained with a huff. "Weren't you listening?"

Shit…that must have been one of those days when I wasn't completely listening to her. I followed her finger to the direction she was pointing in. Normally I would have told her that pointing is rude but I felt as if I had to look. I wasn't braced for what I saw though.

The term 'lady' couldn't be applied to this…this…goddess. The angel before me drew me like the gravitational pull of the Earth to the sun. What is it that draws me to her? Is it the mahogany hair that waves gently down her back in soft curls that seemed so touchable, the flawless creamy skin that seemed soft as velvet, or maybe those big, chocolate brown eyes that have met my gaze? She looked away when she noticed my staring. Her cheeks flushed a beautiful pink that made her even more stunning.

It took everything in me not to run over, kiss her senseless, and then get down on one knee and propose to her. The irrationality of my thoughts disturbed me.

I noticed that there was a boy standing next to her, the person that probably alerted her of my staring. They looked like siblings. He had the same dark brown hair as her and their skin almost matched in tone. I was able to see the identical brown eyes that they both had. Could she be his mother? Before I lost all of my self control and walked over there, I remembered what I was here for.

"Come on Liz, let's go find your classroom," I said.

She gave me a strange look before following me to the hallway. The teacher, Ms. Keller, seemed nice enough. Lizzie ran into the room without giving me a second look and put her book bag in the cubby with her name over it. Then, she turned around and ran back over to me with her arms out. When she got to me, I lifted her up in my arms as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I'll miss you Daddy," she whispered.

"I'm going to miss you too Princess," I replied hoping I wouldn't break down in tears.

I put her down and she ran back into the classroom. I felt my heart crack a little when I walked back down the hallway.

The atrium was far less crowded and I could have sworn I saw the angel that caught my eye earlier walk out the door. I wanted to run after her, but I stopped myself. She was probably married to some lucky bastard.

I headed to the small firm that I started with my best friend, Jasper Whitlock and my brother, Emmett. After getting out of law school we figured that a small firm in Forks would be a good starting place. The business was going well. We did legal work for the whole town and some big companies and spenders in Seattle. We were actually thinking of moving to Seattle in the future. We were a pretty lax law firm. The only reason I wasn't wearing jeans was because we were meeting with a potential new client. He wanted some competent lawyers that weren't part of a huge firm. Plus he needed us to cover different areas. Jasper, Emmett, and I all had focused in different areas that people found beneficial. This client would be able to help us boost funds so we could start creating plans for the Seattle move. After a long day discussing things with the client, we finally signed him over which made this day much better. However, the thought of the angel of the atrium kept plaguing my thoughts and made it hard to focus.

Once I was done, I went and picked up Lizzie from kindergarten. I made sure to pay attention to her this time as she talked about school and the people in her class. Hearing that she was enjoying herself at school made me happy. It was a shame I couldn't make that angel the mother my Elizabeth needed and deserved.

_**Bella Swan**_

Whoever said that the early bird gets the worm, should have realized that the early bird might also be sleep deprived. Or maybe it was just me. Dragging myself out of bed I went to take a shower and brush my teeth. After I let the hot water wake me up, I dried off to get dressed. Opening up the closet doors, I looked at the clothes that I had stuffed in there. I decided on some khaki slacks, a grey tank top, and then a plum cardigan that made the outfit look more professional. Finally looking at the time, I decided to go wake Tanner up. I knocked on the door first and then entered when I didn't hear an answer. He was sleeping with a copy of the first Harry Potter book open on his chest and a flashlight next to him. Must have been reading when he fell asleep.

"Sweetie, it's time to wake up," I whispered while shaking his shoulder.

While he woke up I put the book on his night stand with the flashlight. He mumbled something and slowly got out of bed with his hair looking like he'd been out in a hurricane.

I made my way downstairs and started getting some breakfast together. After some contemplation I decided to quickly whip up some chocolate muffins. I went into a sort of auto-pilot as I mixed the batter and stuck them in the oven. After putting on the timer I went to make sure I had my laptop and lesson plans ready. My first day of teaching high school and I had a big schedule ahead of me. English 3 in the morning, AP Language Composition before lunch, and then AP Literature after lunch. Luckily there weren't a lot of people in my AP classes. I wanted to set a new standard for the school.

Tanner came in the kitchen with a pair of khaki shorts and a red polo shirt. He had a blue jacket in hand.

"What's for breakfast?" He asked while rubbing his eyes.

"Your favorite, chocolate chip muffins," I replied.

He flashed me a huge smile and then put his black backpack near the door. As I pulled the muffins out of the oven I saw him put on his shoes. After they cooled off we both ate one before I put them in a container for tomorrow. Tanner went and brushed his teeth real quick then we got in the red truck my Dad got me when I moved up to Forks a couple weeks ago. The trip was relatively quiet but I could tell he was nervous.

The atrium was pretty crowded with people. We stood still for a couple minutes trying to figure out where to go.

"Mom," I heard Tanner call for me.

"Is something wrong?"  
"Some guy is staring at you," he said a motioned in front of us.

At first I was worried about who it was. Dread started to fill me as I looked up. I wanted to let out a sigh of relief. Before I could though, I inhaled sharply at the sight. This man was a Greek god. The way his bronze hair was disheveled made me want to run my hands through it; his tall muscular body that I wanted to lean against while his arms sheltered me from the world. I made my way up to his eyes and at that moment, his met mine. The stunning emerald locked me for a few seconds. I looked away shyly and I felt my face grow warm.

I noticed that the girl next to him was the one I talked to in the superstore. That's just fabulous but I should have known. This Greek god probably had a gorgeous wife with long blonde hair and a killer body. And of course they had a beautiful little girl with another one on the way. How fucking typical? Even though I was upset with the cliché in my mind, I was also saddened by the thought.

"Let's go Mom," Tanner said while pulling on my hand.

My focus went back towards the task at hand. We made our way down the third grade hallway where I met Tanner's teacher. Mrs. Wilson was an older lady that seemed to be nice. Once I saw that Tanner was at his desk, I walked away. My heart ached knowing that he was getting older.

As I drove to the high school all I could think about was how Tanner would do in school. Would he make friends? Will he fit in? But, another part of me was thinking about the green eyed Adonis that my eyes had the pleasure of seeing. The school was pretty empty seeing as teachers had to be at the school at O' dirt early. It gave me time to make sure nothing in my classroom had been moved. Luckily, everything was the same. It felt weird teaching in the same room I had learned in, no matter how short of time that was.

By the time I had finished setting up my laptop and the books I had brought, kids were starting to file in for homeroom. Apparently my homeroom class consisted of sophomores which in my book are like older, arrogant freshman. But, whatever, the class was chatty but I managed to get through all the stuff I needed too. They left and my class of juniors filed in. They weren't the brightest crayons in the box as far as English so I had a challenge ahead of me. My AP Lang and Comp class was next, which was another class of juniors. I received the usual groans when I asked for the summer work and told them the list of books they were going to need. I think my AP Lit class hated me the most so far though. First day of class and I assigned them an essay on A Brave New World and Frankenstein. Oh well, they can suck it up. They signed up for the class. After that was over, I quickly started working on seating charts. I hated seating charts but they worked.

Once I finished that, and as arranged, I headed to the Elementary school to pick up Tanner. When he got in the car he started talking about how he met some people that were nice enough to sit with him at lunch. I was happy that he was fitting in. This move may not have been nearly as bad as I thought. As we drove along, the Greek god from the atrium kept tugging at my heart strings.

**Well there you go. Update on Sunday like I promised. ** **Soooo…what did y'all think? Reviewers get a sneak peek of the next chapter. Next chapter will be posted on Sunday. **


End file.
